When shopping for whole bean coffee, the first thing you should do is to make yourself familiar with some important terms. The extensive selection of coffee beans in both online and offline stores can easily leave you confused and baffled. With all the different options, how can you be so sure that you will pick the right coffee for better mornings? What are the different types of coffee roasts out there? How does the roast level affect flavor? Below are some important details on the basic coffee roast levels you should know.

Light Roast Coffee

Light roast is an indication of the lower temperature wherein the coffee bean is roasted as well as its light brown color. This type of coffee gets roasted to what is known as the first crack or the temperature where the beans expand in their size. The surface of the bean will also have no oil and there will be a noticeable acidity once brewed. The flavors from the origin of the bean are retained better in light roast compared to a darker roast. Most of the caffeine is also kept in light roast coffees. Light roast coffee has remarkable subtle flavors you will notice while enjoying a sip.

Medium Roast Coffee

A medium roast label is applicable to coffees with medium brown color and those that get roasted past the first crack but before the second crack. The surface of the bean looks dry and will exude a more balanced acidity, aroma, and flavor. Medium roast coffees have lesser caffeine compared to light roast ones.

Dark Roast Coffee

The dark roast coffees have dark brown color and appear shiny because the coffee’s oil is now gathered on the bean’s surface. Roasting coffee dark or too dark will hide the origin’s nuanced flavors. There is also significantly lesser caffeine in dark roast coffees than those roasted to medium or light stage. This explains why most coffees served after dinner have darker roast.

What Suits Your Taste?

Your personal preferences will be the one to determine the specific kind of roast you will choose. Most coffees indicate tasting notes on labels. These tasting notes serve as quick guides to the flavors and aromas you will find while you brew and sip those coffees. The descriptors are for naturally occurring flavors in the coffee as the result of the region where the beans were grown, the weather during the harvest year, and the method that the miller and farm used for processing the beans following the harvest

Some of the basic flavors you taste on a daily basis are bitter, salty, sour, sweet, umami, and starchy, which is a new addition to the list. Your own palate will identify these elements as lemon, strawberry, green pepper, pickle, or cheese. These flavors and a whole lot more can naturally occur in coffee.

Identifying whether you prefer medium roast or dark roast can make it easier for you to navigate the label on coffee bags. Experience in trying coffees from various regions can also help you determine the nuanced flavors in every cup of coffee you drink. Armed with this information, you can now have the confidence to sop for whole bean coffee you will surely love.